Structural unit



June 15, 1943. w; E. WILSON 2,321,566

STRUCTURAL UN I T Filed March 28, 19:59 1 a Sheets-Shee.t 1

2)! /r I I I A ZTORNE Y.

' June 15, 1943. w. EQWILSON 2,321,566

STRUCTURAL UNIT Filed March 28, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 W/NFQED Er W/zso/ 11v VENTOR 5 m BY 2 5 v ATTORNEY.

Patented June 15,

STEUC'E Winifred E. Wilson, Les Angeles, Calif. Application March as, 1939, Serial No. 264,554

(or. eta-92) a claims.

This invention relates to wall construction, and more particularly to an interlocking structural unit for walls and roofs of buildings, and forv other structures. I

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved interlocking structural unit, which may be easily assembled to form a wall structure capable of efiectively resisting and supporting applied forces and loads.

Another object is to provide a wall structure comprising a plurality of interlocking units arranged inseries in end-to-endrelationship and with each series interlocked with an adjacent series, whereby each series is capable of resisting forces, such as moment, thrust, and shear, independently of the adjacent series.

Another object is to provide a structural cellular unit comprising a frame and walls of thin sheet material secured tothe top and bottom of said frame, which walls aid materially in carrying stress incident to the primary function of the unit.

A further object is to provide a structural unit of the character stated, which, by means of its prefabrication and ease of assembly, will efiect a considerable saving of time and cost in the construction of a wall.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel and useful provision,.formation, construction, and relative arrangement of parts, members and features, all as disclosed. in certain embodiments in the accompanying'drawings, described generally, and

Y more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Figure 8 is an edge viewoi a wall androof of a building composed of my structural units,

Figure 9 is a side view of a modification of my invention showing the same applied to adjoining ends of the wooden beams of a wooden building,

Figure 10 is a view like Figure 9 showing my invention applied to the adjoining ends of the steel beams of a structural steel building, and,

Figure 11 is a perspective of my unit in cellular form,

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated by the same reference characters in all of the figures, my invention comprises generally a cellular unit I with interlocking connecting elements 2 on the ends thereof for connecting said ends to the ends of other units; interlocking connecting elements 3 on the corners of said unit for connecting said comers to the sides of other units; and interlocking connecting elementst on the sides of said unit for connecting said sides to the .fashion by glue, nails, screws, or other devices,

or a combination thereof.

The connecting elements 2 are secured to the" ends of the unit I at the lower and upper edges thereof, and said elements are in the form of what is known as a continuous or piano hinge,

with spaced knuckles, each element 2 forming one-half of one of such hinges, so that the knuckles of each element on the ends of each unit I are adapted; to fit between the knuckles of two of my interlockingstructural units, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing the joint for interlocking the adjoining ends of said units,

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, showing one of the joints for interlocking two adjoining series of my structural units,

Figure 5 is a horizontal section 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a view like Figure 3, showing a modification of the joint for interlocking the adjoining endsof two of my interlocking units,

.Figure 7 is a plan view of the modification of the joint shown in Figure 6,

taken on line of a-complementary element 2 on an end of an adjoining unit I, in intermeshing relation to receive a loose pin or rod II, which serves to interlock the two intermeshing halves of such.

other in spaced relation to receive therebetweenan interlocking element 4,-also In the form of a hinge knuckle, on one side of another unit, so

that a pin I! may be'introduced through said I intermeshing elements 3 and 4 to interlock said third unit at one side between its ends to the adjoining side of said first two units at the interlocked ends of said first two units, shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5. The corners of each unit I are beveled, as at l3, to provide spaces H to receive the interlocking elements 3 and 4 so that the sides of the units may be brought together, as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5.

The operation, uses and advantages of my invention are as follows:

The units lare arranged in series in end-toend relation and their adjoining ends interlocked by the intermeshing interlocking elements 2 and the pins ll inserted respectively through each complementary pair of said elements. Each endto-end series of units I is placed in side-to-sidc relation with another end-to-end series, and said adjoining end-to-end series are interlocked in side-to-side relation, with the units l of each series staggered 'with relation to the units of the other series, by the intermeshing interlocking elements 3, on the adjoining ends of each two units of each series, with the interlocking element 4, on the side of a unit of an adjoining se- I -ries, and the pins l2 inserted through each of said intermeshing interlocking elements 3 and 4, as illustrated in Figure 1.'

My units may be readily and easily assembled to form the walls and roofs of buildings or other wall structures. My interlocking-elements 2 may be'employed-to connect adjoining ends of steel or wooden beams in a building structure.

In the modification of my invention shown in Figures 6 and '7, the interlocking elements 2 on the ends of the units 1 are formed with square-cornered knuckles I 5 to receive split or double Wedge-shape pins l6 and I1, which wedge tightly together in the intermeshing knuckles and take up all looseness and end play between the ends of adjoining units I and make the structure rigid.

In the modification of my invention shown in Figure 9, my interlocking elements 2 and pins II are shown connecting the adjoining ends of wooden beams l8 of a wooden building construction, with the elements 2 formed with securing plates I9, which are secured to the edges of said beams byboltsZO, which extend through said beams and said plates, and also through shear plates 2| under said securing plates to aid in transferring the stress from the elements 2 to said beams l8, there being spring washers 22 .placed between the nuts 20' of the bolts 20 and the securing plates ill to compensate for shrinkage of the beams l8.

In the modification of my invention shown in Figure 10, my interlocking elements 2 and pins H are shown connecting the adjoining ends of steel beams 23 of a structural steel building con struction.

I claim:

1. An interlocking structural unit formed with interlocking elements on the ends thereof to intermesh with like interlocking elements on the ends of adjoining units, means for interlocking said intermeshing interlocking elements, and interlocking elements on the corners of said unit to intermesh with interlocking elements on the corners of adjoining units and with interlocking elements on the sides of other units, and means for positively interlocking said intermeshing interlocking elements on said corners and said sides of said units for positively preventing lateral displacement of the units interlocked sidelay-side.

2. An interlocking structural unit including means on the ends thereof to interlock with the ends of adjoining units, and interlocking ele-- ments on the corners of said unit to intermesh with interlocking elements on the corners of adjoining units and with interlocking elements on the sides of other units, and positive means for interlocking said intermeshing interlocking elements on said corners and said sides of said units for positively preventing lateral displacement of the units interlocked side-by-side.

3. An interlocking structural unit including means on the ends thereof to interlock with the ends of adjoining units, and knuckles on the corners of the said units to intermesh with knuckles on the corners of adjoining units, and with knuckles on the sides of other units, and pins extending respectively through said intermeshing knuckles for positively preventing lateral displacement of the units interlocked side-by-side by said pins and said intermeshing knuckles. through which said pins extend.

, WINFRED E. WILSON. 

